In many commercial and industrial settings, work sites at which work is performed may be associated with utility structures or other elevated structures. Scaling such elevated structures is often required by workers performing maintenance, installation and/or other related functions on equipment located at such elevated work sites. In elevated work environments, it may be difficult for workers to manipulate work tools and perform work on equipment at the work site, while also maintaining a reasonably stable physical position on a utility pole, for example, or another elevated structure associated with the work site. Workers who are inexperienced with working in elevated environments may be affected by psychological effects associated with such environments. In addition, if work on an elevated structure is necessary under adverse weather conditions, for example, or at night with diminished illumination sources, and/or if the work requires fine motor skills and enhanced concentration (as may be needed for working with relatively small equipment components, for example), maintaining stability on an elevated structure may be a concern.
It can be appreciated that commercial entities and other organizations that employ workers in elevated environments are aware of the potential risks attendant upon work performed in such environments. In view of this awareness, commercial entities and other organizations devote time and resources to promoting the safety of workers performing work in elevated environments to make the performance of work as safe as possible. Promoting safety of workers in elevated environments may involve instituting training programs and/or providing workers with a variety of support devices, support systems, backup devices and systems, and/or other means that promote the stability and safety of workers in elevated environments. Despite the best efforts of an organization to enhance the safety of its workers and reduce the risks presented by objects potentially descending from elevated structures, for example, it is nonetheless difficult to eliminate all risks to workers performing work on such elevated structures.
What are needed, therefore, are redundant systems for promoting safety of workers on elevated utility structures may be used. Such redundant systems may be beneficial in addition to the myriad existing support systems, methods, devices and/or other apparatus employed by workers on elevated structures to reduce or mitigate risks associated with objects potentially descending from utility structures, for example.